


Small Touches

by weaselett



Category: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: Multi, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 13:34:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17407844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weaselett/pseuds/weaselett
Summary: They each have their own way of communicating how they feel.





	Small Touches

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Missy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missy/gifts).



Sometimes, and he knew, he knew, they didn’t realise it, they just needed him around. Needed him to look out for them. 

Sure they didn’t always act like they appreciated his company, sometimes they even seemed to go to a lot of effort to stay out of his reach, but he knew how they really felt about him. 

It was in all the small things, just like his mother had always told them. Not everyone can actually say the words ‘I love you’, but everyone can do things that say it instead. 

So what if the girls choose mainly love taps to let him know how they felt. 

He liked it. 

Joxer grinned, humming to himself as he stirred the contents of the pot. It was one of Meg’s ready to cook bags of stew, and it was the perfect meal after a long day’s travel. And, most likely, much better than anything either of them had had for a while, he’d eaten their food before. 

He heard their laughter before he could see them through the trees and he shifted, pulling the bowls towards himself, ready to serve dinner. 

“What’s this?” Xena stepped up to the fire, eying the contents of the pot. 

“Well it’s not poison.” Joxer replied, batting her back, “It’s a nice warm, spicy stew, just what we all need to heat ourselves up.”

Gabrielle sniffed, eyebrows raising, “It does smell nice. One of Meg’s?”

Joxer hesitated, prepared to protect his honor, he was totally capable of cooking well himself, without anyone elses guidance….but…. “Yeah, it’s one of Meg’s.”

Gabrielle smiled, brushing past him to claim her preferred spot by the fire, even as Xena squeezed his shoulder moving past in the other direction. “I’m sure it’ll be delicious.”

-

He really could use better armour. 

Xena twirled Joxer’s chest plate between her hands, eyeing the repair. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do. She’d have to find a way to stealthy replace it again, if he took any more hits, but it would do the job. 

And it was better than nothing. 

Xena sighed, it wouldn’t do much to protect him if he were to take another beating like the last, but it was something she could do. Something that didn’t mean more blood on her hands, or a complicated plan that took them away from his side for far too long. 

It didn’t take long to make it back to the tavern they’d taken a room in, and it wasn’t a surprise to find Joxer sleeping while Gabrielle wrote in her scroll, perched on the bed beside him. 

His bruises still hadn’t quite faded, and she still ached with the knowledge of how close it had been. 

Gabrielle lowered her quill, smiling, “All fixed?”

Xena lowered her head, grip tightening on the chest plate for a moment before she moved again, replacing it on the pile of armour and stacking his helmet on top. “Almost as good as new.”

“He’ll be relieved.” Gabrielle’s hand brushed his arm and he snorted in his sleep. 

“If he even notices, sure.”

Gabrielle smiled, “He’ll know.”

-

“You know...” Joxer hovered, on the edge of the camp, watching as Xena oiled her armour, his hand entangled in Argo’s bridle. “Gabrielle isn’t the only one I….”

Xena’s movements stilled, and her back straightened, just a little. “I know.” 

“You...know...” Joxer fidgeted with the bridle, earning a head butt from Argo. She was generally patient with him, just like her rider, but she did have her limits. He patted her nose gently, welcoming the chance to not look at Xena, his heart beating just a little fast. 

“Of course.”

Joxer tied Argo off to the tree she selected, but stayed on the edge of the camp.

“It means a lot, that you trust me like you do.” He swallowed hard. Things hadn’t been easy, hadn’t been at all easy, recently, and he needed to say it. Needed her to know, even if, being Xena, she’d apparently known anyway. 

These things needed to be recognised. 

“Joxer.”

He jumped, looking up to met her eyes. She was always sneaking up on him, so was just so damn quiet. 

Xena smiled, reaching out to wrap her hand, calloused after all her years of fighting, just like his own, around his wrist, squeezing. “The feeling is mutual.”

It took a moment before he could breath. Battles, fights, those he wasn’t afraid of, this, this was scary. This was almost a weakness, but he was mighty and it would not defeat him. 

He met her gaze and smiled, wrapping his free hand around hers, wincing at the coolness of her skin. He tugged, moving towards the fire, even as her undeniably fond smile warmed him up. 

The nights were getting cold, there was no reason for them not to be by the fire were her hands might stand a chance of warming. 

-

It was cute, not that he would ever tell her that. For someone so small, Gabrielle packed one hell of a punch. 

But that didn’t stop him from describing her sleep talking as cute in his mind. 

After all, she couldn’t really read minds, especially not when she was asleep. 

He had found the perfect solstice gifts for them, besides his presence of course, and sneaking into their camp at first light on the solstice was the best plan he’d had for years. 

He gave Argo her carrot first, of course. It was only fair, given she was already awake. Not that a horse could really understand that it was the solstice. It was a treat, and she loved treats. 

Joxer grinned, giving Argo’s nose one last rub before starting his silent approach to the camp fire. 

Only, he hadn’t seen that tree stump. Joxer cursed, trying to right himself before he felt face first into the fire, only to have his fall halted by a hand clamped around his arm. 

“Joxer.”

“Happy Solstice!” Joxer let Xena pull him upright, hoping that she wouldn’t drop him if he didn’t seem like a threat. She could, in hindsight, be a little grumpy if she hadn’t gotten enough sleep.

“Joxer?” Gabrielle was squinting up at him from her bed roll, her hair in all it’s morning glory. 

“I come bearing gifts.” Joxer held up his satchel.

“Gifts?” Xena released her grip on his arm, eyeing the satchel with wounding doubt. Like he would bring them anything but the best solstice gifts. 

Argo snorted, crunching on her carrot, just a little louder. She appreciated him at least. 

“You fell into our camp in the early hours of the morning, to bring us solstice gifts.”

“Yup,” Joxer opened the satchel and pulled out the two carefully wrapped presents. 

“Wow.” Gabrielle pushed herself into a sitting position and Joxer grinned, holding out her present. “Thanks.”

“And for you.” He held out Xena’s, “And it’s totally fine you didn’t get me anything, because, of course, you had no idea I was nearby. I made sure of that. After all, I wanted this to be a surprise.” 

The girls exchanged, what had to be a look of sheer anticipation, before they slowly opened their presents. 

“Are these….” 

“The very best of modern hygiene.” Joxer bounced on the spot, “I figured, after, well, that incident...” He waved at the twin sets of bottles, “And, some antidotes and stuff, you know, the kinds of supplies that are always great to have.”

He shifted, uncomfortable in the face of their obvious….gratitude. 

“Joxer...” Xena smiled, one of those beautiful slow blossoms of a Xena smile and Joxer grinned. 

“There you go, best solstice gifts ever. I am the most thoughtful and mighty warrior there is. This is why the ladies love me.” 

Gabrielle ducked her head, just for a moment, before she stood, right in front of him. Then she smiled, and his stomach flipped. “You’re right Joxer, these are very thoughtful gifts.” She lent in, and for a moment he thought she just might, but her lips pressed to his cheek. 

He chuckled, waving her off, only for her to smack him on the shoulder. “Hey!”

“Just, next time, don’t sneak into camp first thing in the morning.” 

 

-

They were both so peaceful when they were sleeping. 

Gabrielle smiled, reaching out to press a hand to Joxer’s chest, taking a moment to feel him breathing. It was strange, she’d always expected him to snore, given that when he was awake he was almost never silent, but a sleeping Joxer was a quiet Joxer. 

Most of the time. 

Gabrielle shifted her weight, hand moving to his right arm and the bandage. It was clean, by some miracle he hadn’t managed to pull any stitches, but it would still scar. 

As usual, it wasn’t a wound from some epic battle. Just one of Joxer’s typical collisions with the landscape. 

She was just thankful that, generally, somehow, he rarely came out the worst when they did fight. Tyche seemed to be on his side where battle wounds were concerned at least. 

She reached up, brushing the tips of her fingers over his forehead, making sure there was no sign of a fever. It was easier, to touch him like this when he was sleeping. 

Touching an aware Joxer just earned teasing, and his irritating smugness. Better to save tenderness for the times when he wouldn’t push it. 

Xena shifted behind her, moving closer to Gabrielle back, a soft huff of breath telling Gabrielle that she’d been seen. But the quiet remained unbroken. 

Gabrielle snorted, rolling to pull her blanket a bit tighter around her before Xena snaked an arm around her waist, moving them both closer to Joxer. Gabrielle closed her eyes, content. 

There was no where she would rather be.


End file.
